Chapter 7Diversity in Marriage Relationship
Motivations for and Functions of Marriage
Marriage as a Commitment
Marriage as a Rite of Passage
Changes after marriage
Racial/Cultural Marital Diversity
Successful Marriages
Motivations for Marriage
Personal fulfillment
Companionship
Parenthood
Security
Societal Functions of Marriage
Bind male and female together forreproduction of offspring.
Provide for physical care of young.
Regulate sexual behavior.
Emotional support.
Traditional Marriage
Wife not expected to earn income.
Wife takes husband’s name.
Husband initiates sex.
Wife takes care of children.
Education important for husband only.
Husband’s career decides family residence.
Egalitarian Marriage
Wife expected to earn income.
Wife keeps maiden name.
Either spouse initiates sex
Both parents take care of children.
Education important to both spouses.
Career of either spouse determines familyresidence.
Marriage Myths
1.Our marriage will be different.Marital happiness declines for all couples.
2.We will make each other happy.Spouse affected by work, children, health.
3.Disagreements will not be serious.Some will end marriage.
Marriage Myths
4.Spouse is all I need.Emotional, physical needs cannotalways be satisfied by spouse.
5.Greater love equals less conflict.Just the opposite.
Marriage: Personal Changes
Enhanced self-concept.
More regular hours.
Disenchantment (from dream to reality).
Shift focus from relationship to work.
Loss of freedom.
Marriage: Legal Changes
Spouses become co-owners in whatever isobtained after the marriage.
Spouses typically awarded (in divorce cases)half of assets accumulated during marriage.
Spouses legally responsible for support of anychildren they have.
Marriage: Sexual Changes
Spouses are more sexually faithful thanpersons in dating or cohabitation relationships.
Sexual frequency declines but emotional andphysical satisfaction are higher forspouses than nonspouses.
Characteristics of SuccessfulMarriage
Commitment
Common interests
Communication
Religiosity
Trust
Characteristics of SuccessfulMarriage
Nonmaterialistic, disciplined and flexible withwork schedules.
Role models: happy parents.
Low stress
Sexual desire
Family Life Cycle
Marital happiness highest in the beginning(recently married/no children).
Less satisfaction during the childrearingstages.
More satisfaction when children leave home.
Husbands more satisfied than wives.
Unhappy/Unstable Marriages
7% of husbands and wives are unhappy witheach other but intend to stay married.
Reasons:
–Children
–Belief that divorce would be greater misery
–Moral commitment to marriage